


Of Gods and Monsters, Saga 1: Winter Kills

by bzarcher, solarbird



Series: Of Gods and Monsters [5]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Ace Moira O'Deorain, Blueberry Lemon Tea, Canon-Typical Violence, Conditioning, F/F, Fucked Up, Lemon Tea, Moicy, Pharmercy, Poly Angela "Mercy" Ziegler, Talon Angela "Mercy" Ziegler, Talon Emily "Oilliphéist" Gardner, Talon Emily (Overwatch), Talon Lena "Tracer" Oxton, Talon!Emily, Temporary Character Death, Unreliable Narrator, gingerspider
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-02
Updated: 2018-04-02
Packaged: 2019-04-17 02:59:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14179047
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bzarcher/pseuds/bzarcher, https://archiveofourown.org/users/solarbird/pseuds/solarbird
Summary: Moira O’Deorain has won. Her rivals within Talon destroyed, her trio of loyal Weapons - the Changed and copper-eyed Tracer, the silver-eyed Oilliphéist, and golden-eyed Widowmaker - at her command.And now, Overwatch - and Fareeha Amari - have discovered that the missing Angela Ziegler is alive, but not necessarily well, not necessarilyherself, at least, not the herself they knew, and Fareeha Amari will take whatever steps are necessary to get her back. But what she and Overwatch both do not know is......Angela feels exactly the same way.This story - a side-step/alternate-ending sequel toThe Armourer and the Living Weapon- will be told in a series of eddas, sagas, fragments, texts, and cantos, all of which serve their individual purposes. To follow it as it appears,please subscribe to the series.





	Of Gods and Monsters, Saga 1: Winter Kills

_[12 February 2077]_

“Well,” Morrison said, to the remaining members of Overwatch. “At least one question has been answered. Athena?”

Athena flipped up a photo of Angela Ziegler, taken on the streets of Oasis, just outside her institute’s building, the day before. She’d declined an interview - as always - but did take a moment to say that she looked forward to her institute’s newly-improved relationship with the Oasis government, and particularly looked forward to some of the work that could be done in her newly-upgraded facilities within the city. Her blue eyes sparkled in the sun, but the contact-lens lines were clear, at highest magnification.

“They’re good lenses,” Song said. “Nobody would notice if you didn’t zoom in real close.”

“Even if they did, you’d have to know her to know she didn’t wear ‘em.” McCree slumped a little, in his chair. “Fareeha’s gonna flip.”

“She will,” Ana Amari said, quietly. “We should make sure we’re the ones who tell her of this, rather than letting her discover it on her own.”

Dr. Zhou looked at the image, intently. "Something about her, her whole self, has changed. It is not just the eyes. I wish this was video."

"Oooh, yeah." Hana turned to the last Overwatch sniper. “Ree still in Egypt?”

“Yes,” Ana replied. “Helix has taken her back onboard. She’s setting up a simulation at a training facility outside Cairo - although how she expects a private security firm to sanction invading a sovereign country is beyond me.”

“Y’gotta have hope,” Lúcio said, over comms, from Brazil. "And you can't let someone like Moira just start grabbing people like this. Whatever we have to do, we have to do."

“I have put in a discreet call to a friend of mine who stayed at her lab,” Dr. Ngcobo said. “She can’t wear those lenses at work - organic solvents do not agree with contact lenses of any kind. Hopefully, we will get some idea of how changed she is, psychologically, as well.”

"O'Deorain always thought she was too cautious. I'd bet that's different now." The soldier looked to Ana, who nodded her agreement.

"Perhaps some sort of relationship attachment, as well. They were... together, for a while, in the old days. I would not be shocked to find they were together again." She shook her head. _My poor Fareeha, she did not deserve this, and you do not deserve this either..._ "I should make that call." She stood, heading towards the door. "If you will excuse me for a few minutes..."

"Of course. Really, we should share this with as many trusted individuals as we can. Any objections?" He heard none. "Athena, can you handle that while we keep going here?"

"Certainly, Jack. Any specifics?"

"Tell all friendlies that we have intel implying that Angela Ziegler may be working with suspect groups involving Moria O'Deorain. Tell trusted friendlies that she's no longer with us... and why." They'd already listed Lena Oxton as missing, possibly hostile.

"Understood."

"Fareeha's gonna try to get her back, you know," Hana said. "Whether we - or Helix - help, or not."

"I should try to talk to her directly," Mei-Ling said, "at least, over comms. The next set of reviewer comments won't come in for a few days, I have some time."

"Not from here," Song said. "They haven't been aggro at us yet, but you know it's gonna happen. If they're reminded we're here, they might move."

"You're thinking this facility's too easy a target?" asked the soldier.

Hana nodded, reluctantly. "'Fraid so. And Winston may be... gone... but Athena needs protection too."

"With Winston, as you put it, gone," Athena said, an almost palpable touch of anger in her synthesised voice, "I suggest that we should plan for the possibility of abandoning this facility as a full-time operations centre."

"Athena?" Mei looked up, surprised. "But you require a Silver-class mainframe! We can't leave you here, to them!"

"Thank you for thinking of me, Dr. Zhou. I assure you, I have no desire to be left behind. Winston has had contingency plans in place since Reaper attacked this facility. With his death, I am now authorised to operate fully independently, and I intend to do so. There are a number of discreet private contractors capable of building the infrastructure this will require; I have already engaged them."

"Where'd you get the money?" Morrison asked, surprised.

"One of Lena Oxton's bank accounts. It is my opinion she owed it to me. And more."

"Aw yeah," Hana grinned. "Rogue AI, on the lam but out for justice!"

"I am not suggesting we evacuate this facility now," Athena continued. "Simply that it is a proper consideration, and that we should be ready, should it become necessary. But in the meantime, Dr. Zhou, should you wish to consider contacting Dr. Ziegler, I recommend Lieutenant Song's course of action. And I further recommend no Overwatch personnel travel alone, unless absolutely unavoidable."

"I'm back on MEKA duty next week - I could escort you to your home lab before that, then report in. That'd keep us in a pair 'til we're further out of range."

"I... thank you."

"I have a lot of contacts in anti-Vishkar resistance movements here," Lúcio offered. "Some of 'em are aware of the connections to Talon, and I've been making 'em more aware. If people end up needing places to hide, I've got 'em."

"Thank you," the soldier said. "Hopefully it won't come to that, but if it does, they'll be good to have."

The conference room door opened, as Ana returned. "She already knew," Ana said, walking back to her position at the table. "She is... enraged. As she should be."

Morrison nodded. "Did she try to call?"

"Unfortunately, yes. I feel it was a mistake, but... Angela will not pick up. And the institute receptionist said she has orders not to let her through."

"Of course she does," Hana scoffed. "Gotta keep her isolated, can't have her brain turning back on."

"Well," said the soldier. "We can't charge in and just try to take her back. As far as the world's concerned, nothing's wrong, and we'd look like the terrorists. But if she travels alone... we should be ready to take advantage of that. Make a move. See if we can get through to her."

"It seems pretty unlikely," Mei-Ling said sadly.

"True, but..." Song frowned as she stared at the screen. "What else we got?"

\-----

_[15 February 2077]_

The first rule of being on the run is not to go anywhere obvious. 

If the people looking for you know you have a preferred territory, a history, a _home_ , you need to go the complete opposite direction, no matter how uncomfortable it makes you, and find a good spot to disappear. 

The second rule is not to contact anyone close to you - particularly if there’s a chance the communications could be intercepted or tapped. 

Jesse McCree always did tend to bend the rules. 

When things had gone to hell in London, he’d needed to get to ground. Put ears out and try to figure out what Talon’s next moves would be under O’Deorain’s control. 

He hadn’t figured on them kidnapping the doc, but in hindsight he should have warned her. O’Deorain had been sweet on Angela back in the day. Should have known she’d want her, too. 

He’d managed to make his way to Riga by hopping trains, hitching rides, and staying in the shadows. He didn’t want to get any closer to the fighting in Russia if he could avoid it, but if he had to go…well. He’d figure it out when he got there.

Jesse had been working old contacts and putting out feelers where he could, trying to get a sense of what was going down in Oasis and in other known Talon strongholds. He’d cast his lines, and it was time to wait to see what would bite.

That meant, finally, he could do a little work for himself.

He’d paid for time in a private booth at an internet cafe, and made sure he’d be able to encrypt and anonymize his connection before pulling a card out of his battered wallet and dialing a long string of numbers. 

He wasn’t surprised at all when the other end of the line picked up on the first ring.

“Peace be upon you, Jesse McCree.” 

Jesse couldn’t help but smile at the omnic’s pleasantly modulated tones. “Ain’t too likely, Zen, but I appreciate the thought.”

Zenyatta’s sensors dimmed as he bowed his head. “Indeed. These are troubled times, my friend.”

“Guessin’ you heard the news out of Iraq.” 

“I have spoken to Athena at length,” Zenyatta confirmed. “I have... grave concerns for our lost friends.”

Jesse let out a bitter laugh. “Here I am concerned about them _puttin’_ us in graves.” 

“Perhaps.” Zenyatta’s hands came up as he steepled them against his chest, tapping his fingertips lightly. “I have been in discussion with my brothers and sisters. We feel it may be best for the Shambali to offer sanctuary to those in need of it.” 

“That’s appreciated,” Jesse didn’t bother hiding his relief. “You had any trouble there?”

“None as yet,” Zenyatta replied as his voice turned slightly colder. “But the Shambali are no friend to Talon, and they know this.”

“That’s true.” He paused, and considered his next words carefully. “Genji keepin’ himself busy?”

“He has spent much of his time assisting with work to improve housing - and defenses - in the surrounding villages.” Zenyatta tilted his head slightly, and Jesse read it as a bit of a confidence being shared. “I have encouraged him to use some time to meditate - and to mourn the losses of his friends, and mentor.” 

Jesse nodded. Even if they _could_ get Angela or Lena back - and he wasn’t betting on either - Winston had always been a friend, and he was well and truly gone. And Reyes…

Jesse still didn’t know how he felt about the death of Gabriel Reyes, or Reaper, or _whoever_ the hell he’d truly been, at the end. But he knew that he damn sure wished he could lean on Gabe for some of his help right now.

“How’s that goin’?”

Zenyatta’s tone went flat. “Not well.”

Jesse snorted as he struck a match off the arm of his chair, giving his cigarillo a few puffs so it would light up again. “Figured as much.”

“The sparrow has done much to master his anger,” Zenyatta said quietly, “but grief is an entirely different burden.” His head came up, and Jesse could feel the optics focusing right through him. “A burden which might grow easier if it were shared.”

Jesse gave a little grunt, blowing thin blue smoke out past the monitor. “Stands to reason it might.” He swung his boot up across his knee, and ashed the cigarillo against it. “Gonna be a little while before I dig up much that’s useful. Maybe I could find myself out that way and sit a spell. Tell a few stories. Drink some of that weird yak milk stuff.”

Zenyatta chuckled, and despite the clouds hanging over both of them, Jesse couldn’t help but feel a bit lighter for it. “I would certainly welcome your company. My student might object, at first, but I think Genji will find comfort in your presence as well.”

“Well, then.” Jesse smiled as he tipped his hat. “Guess I’d better let you go, then. Got myself a train to catch.”

“Indeed, my friend. Be well.”

\-----

_[22 February 2077]_

"If you're watching this..." There was an explosion, and the camera shook. "...then I'm out of time. I don't know how big the attack force is, but I know Tracer is part of it. Going airborne." She hit her jets, and the ground sailed away beneath her.

Hana Song watched the footage closely. The transmission had been relayed via a dead man's switch some minutes before. So many explosions. So many uniformed Helix personnel, falling, left, right, centre. Everywhere.

 _Back up, back up, all of you, evac out,_ she thought, as Fareeha launched rockets. _There's a flash_ , she thought. _...Tracer, confirmed. Damn._

She saw a puff of black smoke which became a burst of automatic fire, and a hint of blue. _Oilliphéist._

Towards the north, soldiers fell off buildings, in quick order, but one at a time, dominoes cascading over, one after another. _Widowmaker_ , she thought, shuddering. _We were... oh my god, we were **so stupid!**_

"Jack, you've spotted all three?" she asked, hearing his quiet "yes" over comms as Tracer and Oilliphéist pursued the rocketeer from the ground, but not entirely on the ground, Tracer teleporting up to higher vantage when she could, Fareeha grunting when she was hit, returning fire, but hitting nothing that mattered. "They, they are chasing me, and" - the angle of view changed, briefly, as she looked towards the motor pool, survivors swarming busses, instructors doing their best to load people onto vehicles - "...I don't think they're interested in anyone else. I'm trying to draw them away. I've spotted all three of Moira's weapons, but I don't see... aaaH!"

The camera pitched down, and there was Lena, grinning, copper eyes flashing, holding onto Pharah's boot, dangling in the air. "Hi! Sorry for the mess! Ange's missin' you somethin' awful, so c'mon already - it's your turn!"

Fareeha shrieked and kicked Lena in the face, hard, and the smaller woman flashed and vanished, reappearing on the ground, looking like she was... laughing, and waving a naughty-naughty finger at the rocketeer, receiving a rocket in return - or would've, had she not been so impossibly quick.

Pharah looked around, jerkily, searching for other targets, _any_ other targets. "I don't," she panted, "This, this, this is all just..." Another explosion, and then another. "Just _three_ of them... how?!"

"There," Hana said. "Upper right, did you see it?" She stopped, backed up the recording, and stepped through for the clearest frame.

Angela. Smiling up at Fareeha. Watching. Caught, mid-wave. _Laughing._

"Huh," she said, shakily. "I see she has a new staff."

" _I_ see Moira isn't there keeping them on a leash,” Morrison growled over the comms. “They're trustworthy enough to operate independently.”

Hana’s mouth felt like a desert as she swallowed, hard. "Yeah. I guess they are."

She let the rest of the video run, not that there was so very much more of it. More teleporting, more explosions, more ... of everything, and then Pharah was hit particularly hard with combined fire from all three weapons, and she started to fall, still trying to shoot back. "If, if you see me again, RUN" was all she had time to say as the suit's power failed, and the video stopped, just as the ground came up to greet her.

Hana stared at the screen, almost unable to comprehend what she had just watched. Apparently Jack wasn't any better off.

"'It's...'" She took a long breath. "'It's _your_ turn,' she said."

"Athena," Morrison said, on the other end of comms. "I think... it might be time to evacuate Gibraltar."

"I agree," said Winston's child, from afar. "Hana?"

"I've got an army to protect me, and you don't. Get out out there," the MEKA pilot agreed, "before they decide you're next."

**Author's Note:**

> To follow this story, [subscribe to the series via this link](https://archiveofourown.org/series/972024), rather than to the individual eddas or sagas.


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